HUMBER’S STUDENT NEWSPAPER
VOLUME 62, ISSUE 1
FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2020
Learning from Ontario’s first wave Ford promises new investment to support workers, Patients in long-term care P5
TORONTO, PEEL to go into LOCKDOWN p4
CHALLENGING racism in Canadian newsrooms p5
MUSIC GRAD LAUNCHES debut ALBUM p6
2 - NEWS
HUMBER ET CETERA
NOV 20, 2020
Black Canadians face higher COVID-19 risk, experts say
Employees in Ontario adjust to the ‘new normal’
Cassandra Mccalla
Anna Beatriz De Santanna
NEWS REPORTER
NEWS REPORTER
People of colour are at higher risk from COVID-19 for numerous social and economic reasons, experts say. Dionne Aleman, an affiliate of the Institute for Health Policy and associate professor at the University of Toronto, said there is evidence showing the Black community gets COVID-19 at an increased rate, with greater hospitalization and worse outcomes. “We can look at data from other countries, too, to say that, based on what is happening in the U.S., the Black community is getting COVID-19 at a higher rate,” Aleman said. Among contributing factors is that people of colour tend to be employed in service and public-sector jobs that don’t allow for work from home. Many are on the front lines in health care, at hospitals, long-term care facilities and other areas of the essential economy. They are also more likely to use public transit or live in multi-generational homes. Health inequalities have affected the Black and other BIPOC communities for many years in the form of inadequate access to care. Among the hardest hit communities in Toronto include northeast and northwest areas, which have a high proportion of BIPOC communities and those in lower income brackets. “Social-economic factors related to employment, less flexibility to be safe in the job versus access to health care and treatment,” Aleman said. “Another issue is higher incidences of comorbidities in Black and other
Gabriele Barbieri, a buyer at Desco Plumbing and Heating, knows as well as anyone how much the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the economy. Barbieri had started a new job at the company based in the Greater Toronto Area a month before the pandemic and soon found herself laid off. “When I got laid off, for example, they made sure we would have access to health insurance, and we would receive partially our salary, or we could have access to all the benefits that were coming from the government,” she said. Many people have faced the same fate as Barbieri, with Statistics Canada reporting unemployment rose by 1.9 million people from April to August. And not everyone was lucky enough to have as soft of a landing as Barbieri’s company provided. As the economy reopened, the company applied health restrictions, which were respected and lunchrooms were closed. Many employees worked from home, while others visited the office once or twice a week. But even with all restrictions imposed by the company, Barbieri does not feel entirely safe. “There’s no way you can be 100 per cent safe because you’re seeing people that might be seeing other people that might not respect all the things that we have to do,” she said. For those still working, the world has changed, especially in how commuters regard public transportation. Raphael Silva, a certified
COURTESY LISA THOMAS
Lisa Thomas, a youth employment social worker, said more research and resources are needed to support Black communities during COVID-19.
racialized communities.” Mental health issues are also a major risk factor for Black Canadians in dealing with COVID-19. “In the Black community, there’s sometimes a little more stigma around mental health issues. I hope that people don’t see it as a weakness of any sort,” said Steve Joordens, a professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. Joordens, who specializes in helping those dealing with trauma and isolation, said he hoped a silver lining of COVID-19 is that, with mental health concerns so widespread, stigma diminishes. “If you need medical attention, don’t wait and get it.” he said. “Go get it as soon as you can, especially if you have underlying issues that are known to increase the severity of a COVID-19 infec-
Humber Et Cetera is the Humber College journalism program laboratory newspaper. It is created by second and third year journalism students. Et Cetera serves to inform the Humber community and give its readers well rounded coverage on the things that matter to them. @humberetc etc.humber@gmail.com humberetc.ca
tion,” Joordens said. Aleman’s advice to the Black community is to get help as soon as possible to decrease the number of people being impacted by the pandemic. Black communities are also experiencing layoffs and a reduction of household incomes, all the while living in hot-spot neighbourhoods, only increasing their likelihood of contracting the virus. Lisa Thomas, a youth employment social worker, said more research and resources are needed. “The majority of people that I work with are without a job are stressed worried. COVID-19 brings even more stress,” Thomas said. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions; this is your health that is on the line,” she said.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jared Dodds
FACULTY ADVISER Rob Lamberti
EDITORS Pablo Balza Francis Commey Kyle Drinnan Nathaniel Marksman Jayvon Mitchum
CREATIVE ADVISER Marlee Greig FRONT COVER PHOTO: Flickr/Michael Swan
trainer at the Yonge and Bloor Streets Chick-fil-A, said public transit could be problematic because people do not put sufficient effort into protecting themselves and others. “People will have masks on the chin, masks with the nose out or they don’t use masks at all,” Silva said. Statistics Canada said 38 per cent of individuals over 18 have at least one health condition that puts them at higher risk of severe outcomes related to COVID-19. That includes Elias Seagrove, a condo superintendent, who has asthma and tried to lower his risk of getting COVID-19 by staying away from public transportation. “I had to buy an electric bike to help me not to be, you know, inside of buses and subway, full of people,” Seagrove said. He is trying to make himself safe in the workplace, constantly washing his hands and wearing a mask. The superintendent and his husband, Paul Seagrove, are doing all they can to adapt to this “new normal.” Paul Seagrove works for TD Bank and, for the first time in his career, is working from home, along with many of the bank’s 90,000 employees. He decided to establish a routine working from home: working office hours and maintaining as much of the rhythm of a normal day as possible. He also tries to get outside every day. “Making a new routine at home and making new boundaries in my workday has been a big challenge,” he said. “But once I was able to do that, working from home has become much easier and much more enjoyable.”
© 2020 All rights reserved Humber Et Cetera is a publication of the Faculty of Media and Creative Arts at Humber Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning 205 Humber College Blvd., Etobicoke, ON, M9W 5L7
NOV 20, 2020
HUMBER ET CETERA
NEWS - 3
Concern COVID-19 mutations could thwart new vaccines Nur Dogan
NEWS REPORTER
Hope soared around the world for defeating the coronavirus pandemic when a Pfizer-BioNTech partnership announced its vaccine had proven “more than 90 per cent effective” in trials against COVID-19. Scientists look for a 70-percent success rate as the mark of an effective vaccine, “so these results are so promising,” said Dr. Rabia Er Piskin, a doctor and researcher from Turkey now living in Canada. The company is now requesting the drug be approved for an Emergency Use Authorization by the Food and Drug Association, which would allow the vaccine to be used in high-risk populations in the U.S. by mid-to late-December. “Filing for Emergency Use Authorization in the U.S. is a critical step in making our vaccine candidate available to the global population as quickly as possible,” Ugur Sahin, CEO and co-founder of the German-based BioNTech, said in a press release. Concerns remain, however, about the virus mutating into forms the vaccine does not treat. “A vaccine with 90 per cent
effectiveness means social immunization,” Er Piskin said. “The mutation is the possibility we fear the most. Viruses tend to mutate due to their nature.” Selma Duran, a medical student who has a PhD in biochemistry from Gazi University in Turkey, said all vaccines are trying to do the same thing no matter what illness they are looking to treat. “Vaccines are the teacher of our immune system,” Duran said. “They create a safe zone for our body to learn how to fight back with viruses and bacteria.” “The working procedure of the vaccine is quite complex,” she said. “However, the main idea remains the same: which is to teach the immune system how to fight back in long term.” Vaccinations consist of the combination of most-observed mutated versions of a virus. A vaccination covers merely a couple of those mutated versions, meaning they would be of little benefit against other mutations. “Every virus is different and unique,” Duran said. “Therefore, they require a different type of antibody. This is the challenging part for those who have been trying to develop a COVID-19
REUTERS/DADO RUVIC
Vials with a sticker reading, “COVID-19 / Coronavirus vaccine / Injection only” and a medical syringe are seen in front of a displayed Pfizer logo in this illustration taken October 31, 2020.
vaccine.” The vaccine was tested on 43,538 individuals selected from different ethnicities, and among those who were vaccinated, the immunity rate was measured as 90 per cent. Second phase tests were also administered to 38,955 people. “The public expects the vaccination to completely terminate
the virus right after the administration,” Er Piskin said. “Yet due to the structure of the virus, this is impossible.” If COVID-19 does not mutate, those who are vaccinated once will be protected from the virus for life. If the virus changes every year, like influenza, more research and a new vaccine will be required.
“In the middle of September, Denmark announced that they have discovered mutated COVID-19 in minks, which infected humans,” Duran said. “Now they are going to cull 17 million minks to prevent mutated virus COVID-19. Here is the funny thing about mutation: you never know what will happen until it happens,” she said.
International students may return to U.S. schools under Joe Biden Manan Nijhawan NEW REPORTER
There could be an increase in the number of international students in the U.S. with President-elect Joe Biden at the helm. About 40 per cent of the students from India who go abroad for higher education go to the U.S. However, during the past few years, under the America First administration of outgoing President Donald Trump, countries like Canada, Australia and the United Kingdom have seen large growths in the number of international students. The Open Doors Report on International Education Exchange 2019 showed a decrease in the number of students choosing the U.S. as their preferred country for higher education while Canada and Australia saw increases of
more than 100 per cent. “For students who are looking at not just education but also job prospects for the future in their fields, Canada at the moment is a far better option than the States even if you are doing STEM (science, engineering, technology, and mathematics),” said Parth Sharma, an economics student studying at York University in Toronto. Under the Trump administration, immigration and visa policies have been a concern. The Buy American, Hire American policy of April 2017 was the first significant change, followed by changes made to the H-1B visa policy, increasing restrictions on foreign students. “The thought about going to the States never even entered my mind because of the stories about the extremely stressful visa process that I heard,” said Shifa
Nanda, a University of Ottawa student. A temporary ban was issued by the U.S. in 2020 on a range of worker visas, including H-1B. These visas are used by Indian IT and American technology companies. Almost a quarter of H-1B applications were denied in the third quarter of 2019 compared with six per cent in 2015. “Students were asked to leave as soon as they finished their program regardless if they had a job or not, which was not fair at all,” said Kritvi Methi, a communications graduate from Purdue University in Indiana. “A lot of my friends who were already working were asked to resign and leave.” Biden has promised to exempt foreign students working on doctorates in science, technology, engineering, and math from a visa cap. He also said any foreign grad-
REUTERS/TOM BRENNER
U.S President-elect Joe Biden arrives to hold an online video meeting with members of the National Governors Association (NGA). on November 19, 2020.
uate with a U.S. doctorate should be given a green card. “All of these policies work in the favour of not only foreign stu-
dents but also international graduates,” Methi said. “But for that to happen, these policies need to go through.”
4 - NEWS
HUMBER ET CETERA
NOV 20, 2020
Ford announces lockdowns of Peel, Toronto Jared Dodds EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Toronto and Peel are moving back into a lockdown resembling what citizens went through at the beginning of the pandemic, Premier Doug Ford announced Friday. The order will come into effect Mon. Nov. 23 at 12:01 a.m. The news comes after startling models last week showed the province could have over 6,000 cases a day by the middle of December with no changes. The restrictions include not allowing indoor shopping, with businesses only able to offer shipping or curbside pickup. Essential stores will be exempt from this rule and operate at a limit of 50 customers at a time. Essential stores include supermarkets, hardware stores, department stores, pharmacies, and beer and liquor stores. Cannabis can only be purchased with curbside pickup. Restaurants and bars will have to close all in-person dining, including patios, and revert to only offering take out. In-person gatherings will be limited to 10 people when outdoors and intermingling of households is prohibited even as schools remain open. “We cannot put in-class learning at risk,” Ford said in his media conference. “To protect our most vul-
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced Friday lockdowns for Peel Region and Toronto to curb the virus and ease the strain on hospitals in those areas.
nerable and protect what matters most we have to get the community spread under control.” The news came the same day as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s address to the nation, where he urged premiers to consider lockdowns to control the second wave of the coronavirus. “We need to do everything we can right now to slow COVID-19,
to stop it in its tracks,” Trudeau said in his media conference four hours before Ford spoke. “Going into lockdown and supporting business while were in that lockdown is a better way of ensuring their success in a few months, in a few years, than trying to tough through a virus that is running around unchecked.” Dr. Theresa Tam, Canada’s chief public health officer, said at cur-
Bauer, whose practice is in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, about 440 kilometres north of Rio de Janeiro. “A kind look, a hug, a deep breath, can bring our nervous system back to a state of relaxation, and a pet does the same,” Bauer said. Bauer said dogs are the most beneficial pet because of the way they express feelings and socialize with their owner. Juliana Mello who lives with her parents and her dog, Penelope, a 16-year-old Yorkshire Terrier, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, said when she’s stressed, petting her dog calms her down. “I was super bored at the beginning of the pandemic, and there was no one at home because my parents were going to work,” she said. “It was just me and my dog, so it was comforting to have her around.”
Mello used to take preparatory classes for medical school and spent most of her day studying outside her house. “I had a routine of leaving the house in the morning and only returning in the afternoon, so I spent a lot of time away from my dog, but now we get the chance to stay at home together all day,” she said. Nathalia Costa, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, who’s diagnosed with mixed anxiety–depressive disorder (MADD), has found support in her three cats. “When I start feeling anxious, my cat notices and gets closer to me, demanding attention and trying to distract me,” Costa said. “My cats can tell when I’m not well. “The lockdown was awful for me. I needed to go outside, but I couldn’t, and that was making me insane. My
Pets help people cope during pandemic Julia Alevato NEWS REPORTER
Any animal lover will claim their pet makes them happier and experts agree the human-animal bond can help people’s mental health. The benefits of pet ownership include reduced stress, anxiety, depression and loneliness. For many pet owners, animals have been their main support during the coronavirus pandemic. Psychiatrist Dr. Sofia Bauer said people who have pets are happier because animals have a limbic system, the part of the brain that deals with emotional and behavioural responses. “When we are in a fight or flight state, the autonomic nervous system is uncontrolled, and we (function) with the fight-or-flight system activated all the time,” said
rent rates of contact Canada could have more than 20,000 cases a day before the end of the year. “Absolutely do not go above what we have now,” Tam said. “Otherwise we’re really in trouble.” If that rate of contact increases as opposed to holding steady, that rate increases to a possible 60,000 a day. Ontario passed the 100,000case mark Friday with 1,418 new
YOUTUBE
cases and eight new deaths. The province also hit 150 patients in its ICU’s yesterday, which experts say will lead to the cancellation of some elective procedures. The closure will last for at least 28 days, with the province evaluating the situation after that period. Violations of the rules could lead to a $750 fine, Health Minister Christine Elliott said.
UNSPLASH/KRISTA MANGULSONE
cats helped me a lot because I was always finding new activities for us to do together, which kept my mind busy,” she said. But it is not only dogs and cats that bring benefits. Giulia Fontana, from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has found comfort in her rabbit, Simba. “When things get crazy, it’s always good to stop and be quiet
by his side,” Fontana said. “I’m spending way more time with him than before. It’s been great to have a company in this moment of social isolation. “He loves getting affection, and that’s why I created the habit of watching series and movies with him on my lap. That’s our favourite thing to do together,” she said.
NOV 20, 2020
HUMBER ET CETERA
NEWS - 5
COVID-19 forces changes in Ontario long-term care homes Sierra Macpherson NEWS REPORTER
The Ontario government updated its safety policies and protocols in long-term care facilities while a commission investigates damning reports about conditions in those same institutions early in the COVID-19 pandemic. “We saw the impacts of wave one on our long-term care homes,” Merrilee Fullerton, Ontario’s long-term care minister, told reporters recently. “We’ve learned from it and we will continue... to do whatever it takes to keep our loved ones in long-term care safe.” The government announced $761 million for building and renovating almost 11,000 long-term care facilities earlier this week. The news is shadowed by the near 2,000 deaths in Ontario facilities, accounting for three-quarters of deaths in the province, and leading to harsher restrictions earlier this year. All non-essential visitors have been restricted since early October from entering homes in areas with high rates of community spread, including Toronto, Peel, York and Ottawa. Resident absences for non-essential rea-
sons have also been prohibited starting Oct. 16. These policies come after the provincial government eased up on restrictions following the first wave. Many residents have had a difficult time adjusting to these protocols since the start of the pandemic. Angie D’Souza, a Trillium Health Partners employee who was redeployed as a personal support worker at Camilla Care Community during the first wave, said many of the residents she cared for thought their loved ones did not want to visit them due to their limited cognitive abilities. “A lot of them had dementia or Alzheimer’s, so they knew that there was something going on,” D’Souza said. “They just didn’t quite understand what it was.” While the policies are intended to keep residents safe, their loved ones had to adjust to not being able to visit. Bob Brennan, 87, said he used to visit his wife, Josie, at Sheridan Villa Long-Term Care Centre on Truscott Drive in Mississauga for hours every day before the start of the pandemic. “It made me feel sort of on edge when they stopped us from visiting because I knew she was getting worse,” Brennan
said. “When I could see her each day, hold her hand, talk to her, I felt better because I could just say, ‘see you tomorrow.’ “But then day after day, there was no tomorrow. It got me down for a while,” he said. Brennan was able to visit his wife again when her condition declined, as family members who are visiting a palliatively ill resident are considered essential visitors. “The last week of her life, when they knew she was dying, they let us go for one hour a day per family member,” Brennan said. Josie Brennan died on June 1. Fullerton also announced up to two friends or family members of each resident could register to become trained essential caregivers in order to visit them and provide support. These essential caregivers, along with all PSWs and nurses, must be tested twice a month and pass COVID-19 screening on each entry. “They can come in during an outbreak, they can come in without an outbreak. They need the training and on-and-offing of the protective equipment,” Fullerton said. The province also allotted more than
Bob Brennan said he used to visit his wife Josie Brennan (above) at Sheridan Villa Long-Term Care Centre in Mississauga for hours every day before the start of the pandemic.
$500 million to ensure seniors homes have effective protection for staff and residents. The money went toward training and personal protection equipment for staff, high-dose flu vaccines for residents and renovations to increase safety.
Canadian journalists address racial reckoning in newsrooms Jennifer Kozak NEWS REPORTER
Media leaders attended a Humber College online virtual symposium on Nov. 9 to discuss the “racial reckoning” in newsrooms across Canada. Journalists in the field shared personal experiences of racism within the newsroom, taking a stand against the systemic racism rooted in mainstream media and what newsrooms are doing to combat workplace discrimination. Irene Gentle, the Editor of the Toronto Star, took it one step further to remove systemic racial barriers in the workplace by introducing a new role that has not been in newsrooms across the country. “What we have done is create an internal ombud, which is somebody that anybody in our newsroom can go to if they have a concern about the journalism we are doing in regards to cultural sensitivity,” Gentle said. She recently appointed Shree Paradkar, a diversity columnist with two Amnesty International awards for social justice reporting, as the Canadian news industry’s
first internal ombud for BIPOC journalists. “People need a voice. It became very clear that people needed an outlet and a voice, and it needed to be done in a structured, systemic way because the barriers are systemic,” Gentle said. The symposium, organized by the journalism program in the Faculty of Media and Creative Arts, attracted more than 170 registrants for the seven-hour program of panels and presentations. After each forum, students were given opportunities to ask questions and engage with professionals within the field. Paradkar’s office at the Star provides a safe space for BIPOC journalists to speak up about editorial-related discrimination and intensity if they don’t feel comfortable with bringing it to the editors directly. Even the language used by the news media to describe diverse communities has been “particularly slow to catch up because there’s a lack of diverse voices in news organizations,” Paradkar said. Some leaders in Canadian media have taken it upon them-
selves to call out racism in newsrooms and push for greater media staff diversity. Adrian Harewood, a CBC news anchor in Ottawa, has been among those leading the change campaign. For decades Harewood has challenged mainstream media to be more diverse. “In 2016, I was being contacted by a journalist from Canadaland to speak up about the lack of diversity amongst staff at the CBC Radio Canada. I spoke up to acknowledge the problem not just at CBC but across the industry,” he said in a keynote address. “At that time, the journalist told me I was one of the few people to speak on the record about the chronic issues of underrepresentation of racialized individuals at all levels of Canada media,” Harewood said. When it comes to reporting on racialized communities, Humber journalism students were reminded BIPOC reporters shouldn’t be the only ones reporting on diverse communities. White reporters should also need to take the initiative to know the people within their community. “The burden of reporting
Adrian Harewood, a CBC news anchor in Ottawa, has challenged mainstream Canadian newsrooms to be more diverse for decades.
BIPOC stories needs to pass on to white journalists,” Mahnoor Yawar, a producer at CityNews and a Humber grad. “There are many upcoming white journalists in this room,
CBC
and you have to get to know other communities. You have to get to know the communities that make up your city. You need to be just as good as BIPOC reporters,” Yawar said.
6 - NEWS
HUMBER ET CETERA
Thrifting, lighting key to refreshing study space at home Small changes can make even the smallest of students apartments more appealing to work in Erin Leblanc NEWS REPORTER.
College students deserve a nice place to live, no matter how small. Especially when that space is now not only a home but an office and a classroom, too. If being stuck in rooms for much longer becomes a reality, and that seems likely, people might as well enjoy the space they’re in. Toronto housing is expensive. For those who moved here for school, or are staying at home to avoid the pricey rent costs, home decor and furniture may not be at the forefront of their minds. But the way a home is decorated can affect how people work, and changing the atmosphere up every now and then doesn’t have to be pricey. “I like having a desk, I feel like it’s really important to sit where it isn’t your bed to do work and study, and a comfy chair helps keep me focused, so I don’t go back to my bed,” said Acacia Henderson, a second-year Humber Advertising and Marketing student. Henderson lives with her parents in Oakville and recently relocated to a larger room in the house to accommodate a workspace for school. “I filled it up with cheap items, antique markets have cheap and cool stuff you can’t find anywhere else, and it’s also sustainable because you are reusing things instead of buying it new,” she said. Students are trying to find more affordable ways to furnish their homes. It’s easier than ever to find cheap furniture and decor, with
thrift stores and buying apps such as Facebook Marketplace. Milena Deviatkina, a second-year Business Management student at Humber, recently moved into a home in Toronto with three roommates, all studying at various schools in the city. They are in school online and have to work to make their home as comfortable as possible. “People put a lot of furniture outside on the streets that is usually in good condition. We just pick it up and clean it, and it works just fine,” Deviatkina said. “You can decorate your space by finding items second hand and repurposing them for something else. For example, using rugs on the wall instead of paintings can look cool, or using mirrors as decorations to make your space brighter,” she said. The ambience of a room is not only appealing, it also helps with focusing during study time. “It’s important to have good lighting, it can help keep you awake during class, it’s really hard to do school work if you have like, only rainbow LED lights in your room.” Henderson said. Lighting is important to keep focused, and so is colour. A University of Exeter study shows offices with greenery and plants can improve productivity. The 2014 research found people are also happier because of the greenery. “I think plants are really good to have in your room, they brighten up the space and give you something else to take care of, and they aren’t that expensive,” Henderson said. Even in the smallest of rooms, like a dorm room or basement apartment, these small changes can all be made in order to make a space more exciting. As the possibility of a second lockdown looms over us, you may be best served to pick up a couple new decorations for your space.
NOV 20, 2020
Music grad releases debut album during pandemic Christian Collington NEWS REPORTER
Making music during the COVID-19 pandemic has been easier for Jesse Ryan because of the guidance from Humber College’s music department. “All the faculty members altogether have been influential,” Ryan said. “Everybody that I’ve taken classes with.” Ryan, a musician and graduate from Humber College’s Bachelor of Music program, first studied at Berklee College of Music in Boston. However, financial difficulties forced him to move back home to Trinidad and Tobago. Ryan stumbled upon Humber College through a friend who lived in Toronto at the time who turned him on to Larnell Lewis, a Humber music professor and Grammy award-winning drummer. “I had a chance to meet Larnell in Trinidad,” Ryan said. “He told me a little bit more about the program, and I did some more research, and I was really impressed with the program.” Ryan, whose debut album Bridges is set to be released on Dec. 4, is among many students from the music program who cite their education and the diversity of the faculty and staff in their success. “One of the strengths of our program is that we are emphasizing versatility and quality,” said Shirantha Beddage, a Humber College Bachelor of Music professor. “Most of my colleagues don’t just do one thing. They do a variety of things, and they do them well.” He said remote learning is providing challenges for students, including adjusting to their new learning environments. “The toughest thing as a performing musician myself is knowing that playing music is all about a sense of community,” Beddage said. “ A shared experience between musicians and an audience.” He said the reality of the music industry right now calls for versatility as previous students went down different career paths within the music industry. “It’s usually a combination of different career paths, whether
ROBIN SASSI
Jesse Ryan’s album, Bridges, is full of musical elements from Afro- Caribbean culture.
it’s performance, composition, education, production, or other areas,” Beddage said. Allison Au, a freelance musician and Humber College alumni, teaches the first-year improv class and is using that as an outlet to advise a younger generation of
choose Humber College for her education. For music students nearing completion of their programs, Ryan recommends that they surrender themselves to the process and stay close with their professors. But more importantly, familiarize themselves with the
“Most of my colleagues don’t just do one thing. They do a variety of things, and they do them well,”
Shirantha Beddage
HUMBER COLLEGE BACHELOR OF MUSIC PROFESSOR
musicians. “It’s the first time I’m on faculty and it’s been really great to connect with students,” Au said. “Though I am teaching a class, I am trying to share my personal experiences through that class.” Despite graduating a decade ago, the diverse faculty was a strong deciding factor for Au to
idea of solving problems. “Allot some time, whether it be a week, once a month, to figure out how you could combine your creative passion and balance that with solving problems,” he said. Beddage notes being versatile can make the transition into the music industry easier for graduating students.
NOV 20, 2020
HUMBER ET CETERA
NEWS - 7
Toronto 6IX brings women’s pro hockey back to Canada Garrett Thomson SPORTS REPORTER
Canada’s first National Women’s Hockey League (NWHL) team, The Toronto Six joins the NWHL for its inaugural year. The National Women’s Hockey League has stayed in the U.S. during the past five years. Following the collapse of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League (CWHL) after the 2018-2019 season, the founder of the NWHL Dani Rylan made it a priority that the NWHL would expand into Canada. For the upcoming season, the league will see its first expansion franchise in Canada’s biggest hockey market, Toronto, the city where the CWHL’s Toronto Furies once played. The team’s home arena will be at York University. The collapse of the CWHL also led to the discontinued operations of the teams in Calgary, Markham, Montreal, Worcester, Mass., and the league had also expanded into China for two seasons before it folded. Alyssa Turner, social media manager for the Toronto Six, said there’s an opportunity to grow with the NWHL after the
team’s inclusion to the league was announced in April. “We aspire to build a perennial Isobel Cup contender for Toronto,” said Johanna Neilson Boynton, leader of the Six’s team ownership, in a statement in April. “This will be an organization with strong fan, community and corporate support, outstanding coaching, training, and player development, and a club dedicated to promoting hockey as a game for everyone. “We are launching this team now because we believe in the future,” she said. Boynton said the team and the league are driven to increase opportunities available to women’s hockey players of all ages, “and that’s what this expansion is all about. There is so much potential, and Toronto is the logical next step.” Turner said the NWHL had teams in the U.S. prior to expansion, in New York City, Boston, Buffalo, Minnesota and Connecticut. “A team in Canada leads to a larger audience and more media coverage,” she said. The team increases the potential of bringing more media coverage for the NWHL, Turner said.
NHL.COM
Margaret “Digit” Murphy, coach and president of the Toronto Six, said there’s an opportunity to promote women’s hockey in Canada.
The future of women’s hockey became unclear after the fall of the CWHL, but with the announcement, the Toronto Six instilled hope back into women hockey players in Canada. The Six will not only be representing themselves but will be symbolizing women’s hockey in Canada and creating an opportunity for professional women’s hockey for younger generations. Margaret “Digit” Murphy, coach and team president of the
Toronto Six, said there’s an opportunity to send various messages on women’s hockey in Canada. “As Canada’s team, there is huge growth and opportunity, inclusion, empowerment, opportunity,” Murphy said. The expansion may give the chance to open doors locally and in Canada for women’s hockey, both for professional players and aspiring players who are looking to take it to the next level. The team entering the league
began to gain traction on social media after Murphy signed with the team. Its social media account has already gained more than 600 followers since the hiring. Murphy, the former coach of the CWHL’s Boston (later Worchester) Blades, won the Clarkson Cup in 2013 and 2015. She was also head coach for the Kunlun Red Star, one of the Chinese expansion teams, and lost the championship to Markham Thunder in 2018.
Restaurants urge diners to support local establishments during lockdown Melike Hilal Gumus NEWS REPORTER
New restaurants in Toronto are urging diners to support local businesses during the pandemic. Many restaurants opened in Toronto during the COVID-19 pandemic but current health and safety restrictions in Ontario prevent customers from eating inside. “Not being able to do dining indoors has impacted our business significantly,” said Sara Jorgensen, manager of Maison T on Shaw Street, said. Masayuki Tamaru, chef and owner of Maison T, opened the restaurant on Oct. 24 in a residential area with less competition and where the restaurant is getting a lot of support from the neighbourhood. “We were hoping that we would be into Stage 3 by the time we opened up for dining, but that didn’t happen. So, it was just an opportune moment for the chef,” Jorgensen said about the reason
behind Tamaru’s new business. Due to restrictions on indoor dining, a strong social media presence has become a must for Toronto restaurant owners looking to promote their new businesses. “We have to be more (ingenious) on social media and delivery platforms to capture that business,” Jorgensen said. Lynsey McMillan, general manager of Salvo on St. Joseph Street in downtown Toronto, said she “had to market ourselves online and have a big social media presence” when the restaurant opened. “We didn’t have the luxury of people coming into the restaurant and seeing the space,” McMillan said. She said she is using a variety of sites, including Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to rebrand Salvo. Until a year ago, the restaurant was called The Wickson Social, but a flood in November 2019 forced its closure. It reopened Oct. 19, 2020, under the same ownership.
“It’s been quite a long year. So, we were kind of looking to open, and we are all excited to come back,” McMillan said. The pandemic is limiting potential new customers from around the city, and new ventures now depend on the interest of their local neighbourhoods. “Customers can help by just supporting locals and eating out as much as they can. I understand this could be more expensive than cooking at home but if they don’t, they will lose some of their favourite restaurants,” said Jonathan Mishaev, owner of Limon Restaurant on Queen Street East. Limon is a new restaurant opened on Oct. 22, by Mishaev and his brother Benjamin. The brothers closed a restaurant they had been running for six years to focus on their new spot. “When the pandemic hit, we saw an increase in units available and found a perfect location and building (in) the Beaches. We didn’t want to lose the oppor-
LIOR KHANANAEV
Brothers Jonathan and Benjamin Mishaev own Limon Restaurant on Queen Street East. They opened Limon in Oct. and are focusing on building a loyal customer base.
tunity, so we agreed to sign the lease,” Mishaev said. As winter approaches and coronavirus case numbers increasing in Toronto, offering outdoor dining at a patio is not an option for these restaurants. “Just with everything going on, we decided, it would be best to just go back to take out,” McMillan said.
These new businesses are offering pick-ups and delivery through Uber Eats, DoorDash and Skip the Dishes. “The positive in all of it is that our customers will now know that our food is very take-out friendly,” Mishaev said. “We plan on just building our business one customer at a time,” he said.
8 - NEWS
HUMBER ET CETERA
NOV 20, 2020
EDITORIAL
Ford attempts to save face by ordering lockdown of hotspots
T
oday Doug Ford finally went through with something he has been dragging his feet on for weeks. At least, kind of. The Ontario premier put the two worst hotspots in the province, Peel Region and Toronto, into a 28-day lockdown eerily similar to what we faced in the spring. The only difference is this time both schools and childcare centres will remain open. That includes Humber College, which is providing on-campus instruction for specific courses. So, what changed? It couldn’t have been the modeling pointing towards a rise in cases to over 6,000 a day with no changes, because that was known this time last week. Could it have been Prime Minister Justin Trudeau giving the premiers the political backup they needed by saying in his address to the country Friday that shutdowns would be good for business in the long run? Certainly a possibility. But the reason could be that Ford had finally begun to
lose some of the goodwill his behaviour in the first shutdown earned him. Both he and his Conservative government received praise for their handling of the pandemic’s first wave, reflected in their approval numbers. Abacus Data reported Ford’s approval rating had shot up to 46 per cent in May from 23 per cent in March, eventually climbing all the way to 60 per cent. This steep climb is only topped by the drop in his disapproval rating, which went to 25 per cent from 61 per cent, eventually settling at 15 per cent, within two months. But as the months went on and the pandemic persisted, Ford’s focus seemed to change from handling the virus to restarting the economy, and in the middle of a massive second wave, he found himself losing ground. Abacus Data reported in October Ford’s approval rating had dropped eight points to 52 per cent, and his disapproval was up
nine per cent to 24. Those numbers held into early November when they were last reported. How did this happen? A focal point of the criticism towards the Ford government was its handling of the reopening of schools, with slightly more than 40 per cent disapproving of how it was handled. This was before Wednesday’s announcement by Stephen Lecce, Ford’s minister of education, saying an extended winter break was “not necessary at this time,” just a day after he said it was being considered. Schools are also remaining open in this newest shutdown, despite households being prohibited from mixing. According to information provided by the province almost 10 per cent of Wednesday’s cases were school-related. There are 670 publicly funded schools with an active case, and three are closed outright. Even worse, a 67-year-old child and youth worker with the
Toronto Catholic School Board became the first school staff member to die from COVID-19, an official from the school board announced Wednesday. The decision to keep schools open was made by Dr. David Williams, the chief medical officer for the province. “Dr. Williams came back and said ‘no, this is the safest place,’ again reacting quickly, being decisive in the right way,” Ford said in his Wednesday media conference. But his insistence on being decisive in “the right way” brings up the question: what does the right way mean? “The right way” was clearly not the new COVID-19 framework system the province released at the beginning of the month which received immediate criticism from experts. The Ontario Medical Association called the outline lax. This criticism was also surrounded by reports the plan did not have input from the province’s public health agency, which Ford
denies. Still, his government changed the framework last week, significantly lowering the thresholds for each level, pointing to his initial decision being decisive in the absolute wrong way. And now Toronto and Peel are locked down after weeks of squabbling with the federal government over jurisdiction, humming and hawing about a potential lockdown, all while that province passed 100,000 total COVID-19 cases and ICU occupancy reached a critical level. What Ford did Friday was the right choice. But even in doing the right thing he raised eyebrows, either by leaving schools open or allowing people in lockdown to drive 20 minutes in any direction and not face the same restrictions. Ford is now facing his defining moment as premier. He needs to band the province together to defeat this virus. The question is does he have what it takes to get the job done.
OPINION
Masks should remain a staple in a post-pandemic world
Kyle Drinnan NEWS EDITOR
W
earing masks in public should become a societal norm even after the COVID-19 pandemic is finished. COVID-19 has forced us to change how we operate in our society. One of the biggest changes is the normalization of wearing masks in public forums. Before everyone would be bunched up on buses or in crowded cities, increasing the
opportunity for illness to spread. But now, wearing masks is helping to protect us in those areas from transmittable viruses. The flu season has arrived in Canada and already we are seeing the positive effects of most people in this country being aware and doing their best to protect themselves and others. Health Canada reported only 17 cases as of Nov. 7. This time last year there were more than 711 cases reported. Vaccines and masks seem to work well. COVID-19 is still rampant with numbers increasing every day, but we have hope with two vaccines, both of which are touting an over 90 per cent effectivity. And there’s a third on the horizon, But even if these vaccines have the capability of eradicating the coronavirus, public perception still would need to be changed for them to be effective. Some, for example, mistrust vaccines, citing debunked claims that some contribute to autism in children.
If this perception translates to the coronavirus vaccine, those who choose not to get it can still carry this deadly virus. Measles is a great example of making a comeback because of the anti-vaccine movement, and with how easily COVID-19 can spread it may be even tougher to eradicate. That is why normalizing masks is needed for us in public forums, even after the pandemic. In East Asian countries it has become a cultural norm that when you think you’re sick in public, you wear a mask. Japan is an example of a country where it’s ingrained in their culture to think about other people and not pass their germs onto others. Some view masks as an inconvenience, but for those who are vulnerable or have family that are vulnerable, they are a necessity and doing our best to help these families should be a necessity as well. It isn’t going to be an easy battle. In Ontario, it appeared as
UNSPLASH/VERA DAVIDOVA
if we had somewhat of a handle on COVID-19 until some began to lower their guard. People will forget how easy it is to catch this, or any, virus and will stop taking the precautions even when a vaccine has been found. Our biggest weapon is being mindful of others and taking the
needed steps beforehand to make sure you are safe, whether for the coronavirus or for the common flu. This, alongside medical care from doctors, nurses and other health care professionals can help us fight a variety of illnesses. So be safe, wear a mask, and we can beat more viruses than just COVID-19.
NOV 20, 2020
HUMBER ET CETERA
NEWS - 9
TALES FROM HUMBER
Learning life lessons through hard work, family ties Daniel Lonic NEWS REPORTER
C
racking my stiff, grimy hands and gazing upon the trails of veins across my arms, I wiped the sweat from my forehead with the cleanest part of my arm I could find. I was a long way from a laptop and my journalism classes at Humber College. This summer I worked with my father, both of us labourers on the new Toronto courthouse downtown on Centre Street, in the University Avenue and Dundas Street area. It was not only the most intense experience of my summer, but it also gave me some understanding of what my dad does to ensure I am provided for. My mornings started at 4 a.m. in order to make the hour-long commute downtown by bus. Sleepily walking out of my building, I’d catch the 89 Weston TTC bus at the stop across the street, the sun still hiding behind the city skyline. I’d catch myself dozing on the ride to Keele subway station and
had to make sure I didn’t miss my stop at Spadina for the connection to Line 1. On my way, I would spot other construction workers scattered throughout the bus, distinguishable by their orange-and-yellow safety vests with glistening high-visibility reflective stripes. Along with the regulation vest, I wore an obsidian-black hard hat that I made my own by adding some risque stickers that would give some workers a chuckle. I wore black boots and the most breathable pants I owned, a pair of blue Adidas I wore throughout the week in order not to drive my mom ballistic with more mucky garments than necessary. Almost like clockwork, every day I exited the St. Patrick subway station, my dad would be waiting for me with a cigarette in his mouth and a coffee to hyperpower me for the day ahead. I cherished the conversations with my father on our short walks to the job site as we strolled down deserted streets where the occa-
sional lost soul slept. “So, how you liking the job?” he asked. “It’s hard work but rubbing my paychecks on my injuries sure has been taking the edge off,” I said. “Don’t let that increased rate sidetrack you, buddy,” he responded. “It would break my heart seeing you do this permanently when I know you can be so much more.” I worked alongside the many different trades common to any construction site —carpenters, plumbers, electricians, and HVAC installers. All working separately yet jointly towards a shared end goal. My environment was everchanging, beginning my first day on the seventh floor and being present for the construction of five more. I both literally and figuratively was looking up to my dad as he was atop scaffolds passing — and occasionally throwing — down sheets of dusty plywood for me to de-nail. My father served as my mentor, first teaching me to never allow the boss to catch me with unoc-
cupied hands. Talk to others as you please, he said, just as long as you’re carrying a bundle of planks on your shoulder to accompany. There were times where I became flustered and caused my dad to yell in frustration, yet I wouldn’t take it to heart because I knew he never meant to. It took weeks before my body adjusted to the job, my hands growing calluses, my shoulders growing new muscles to account for the weight of 16-foot metal joists, my calves hardening from the regular trek up and down 10 flights of stairs. Those stairs never did become easier. On the site, I quickly learned if you were able to clock out without sustaining some sort of injury it was a good and notable day. Come September, I threw my hard hat in the closet and returned to school, adjusting to using my mind as opposed to my strength. But my eyes and outlook have changed. I regard every construction worker who crosses my path with newfound respect. I am
DANIEL LONIC
The author and his father working at a construction site in downtown Toronto.
grateful to have been able to glide through the summer under my father’s wing. And every little scar I picked up is a memento of lessons learned.
TALES FROM HUMBER
A labour of love and loaves
Erin Leblanc NEWS REPORTER
M
y mind was still foggy as I wandered up the steps. Walking into an empty grocery store at 4 a.m. is a strange feeling. It’s large, quiet and dark. I often wished I could bring my roller skates and glide across the freshly polished floors. The night crew would let me in, one of the four or five men working in the storage rooms. But I wouldn’t join them, I had to isolate myself in my own back corner of the bakery. Isolate. As many people were doing at this time. It’s the summer of 2020, of the COVID-19 pandemic. Provinces attempted to slow the rise in cases with physical distancing mandates and shutting down hundreds of businesses. Thousands of people were out of work or not going to school. But there must be something about bread that makes people
happy. As depicted by empty ingredient shelves and sourdough starters being displayed online, it’s apparent everyone appreciates a fine loaf of bread. But while people posted their loaves of bread online, I was baking. Hundreds of loaves a day. The Atlantic Superstore in my small hometown of Kingston, N.S., about 150 kilometres west of Halifax, was busy even during the times of the pandemic. It was one of the two major retailers that were allowed to open in town at the time. I would prepare hundreds of loaves of bread, croissants, danishes and pies to be moved around on broken-wheeled carts, into the oven to bake fresh for customers each and every morning. Comparing the bakery to the size of the grocery store, it was small. But as far as bakeries go, this one is above average size. I would tray and shape the loaves and pastries, and bake
them in huge ovens. They could fit over 100 loaves of bread at a time. I then counted the products sold and prepared for the next day to do it all over again. Ingredients were often on backorder. Seeds and flour shelves laid bare. These empty shelves served as a reminder of the time we were going through. The pandemic had shipments delayed, and an increase in isolated home bakers had yeast flying off the shelves. As I worked away in my supersized kitchen, the same process went on in homes across the country, albeit on a much smaller scale. Maybe it’s the predictability of reading a recipe and knowing how it’s going to turn out. Seeing pictures of other people’s attempts lets you know if your process is on track. It’s hard to feel lost when everything is laid out for you. It could be the delicious smell that fills the house, getting the crust just right so that it has a beautiful crunch, the toppings
UNSPLASH/DAN GOLD
filling the gaps of the results of the perfect gluten network. Whatever it is, the success felt after completing a nice loaf is unmatched. You get to see it through from its humble beginnings as a starter and enjoy it right through to the end, as a sandwich, a toast or whatever it may become.
I always said I liked baking to make other people happy. People always appreciate a baked good or seven. It’s fun to bribe people with a soft chewy cookie, or a fresh apple pie. But the pandemic proved the ritual of baking can be for ourselves too.